No more cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth access for Note 7's in Canada

In case you’ve missed it — which I highly doubt — the Galaxy Note 7 was recalled by Samsung due to risk of malfunction and fire. Although the tech giant has been trying hard to get users to return their Note 7 devices, some of them decided to take the risk and keep using the smartphone.

In Canada, around 90 percent of users have already returned their Galaxy Note 7. And to make sure that the rest follow suit, Samsung is opting for a strategy it has already used in New Zealand and Australia. The company will soon disable the radios of the remaining Note 7s in Canada, which means that the devices won’t be able to make and receive calls, send text messages, and access the internet.

Starting December 12, Samsung will first turn off the phone’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality. On December 15, the remaining Note 7’s will be barred from connecting to any Canadian mobile network, which will make them effectively useless. The devices will, however, still be able to call 911 in case of an emergency.

Samsung is urging users to return their Galaxy Note 7’s to the place of purchase between December 7 and December 15, where they will receive a refund or a different device.

“As a recalled product, Note7 device owners are legally prohibited from selling or even giving away the recalled device. We would like to remind customers that they need to return their Note7 device.” – Samsung Canada

What are your thoughts on Samsung’s plan in Canada? Do you think it’s the right thing to do?